"Texas ties became a habit with Bath’s future terrorist financier, author Peter Brewton implied, when in 1979 Mahfouz purchased the Houston River Oaks mansion of Chester Reed, father-in-law of John Ballis, who pled guilty to Savings and Loan fraud.
Mahfouz paid $4.23 million through Houston’s Baker & Botts -- a law firm traversing many Bush family business deals -- which handled the Saudi Sheikh’s Houston land investments through James Bath."Time’s Beaty and Gwynne chronicled the terrorist financier’s alleged 1985 sweetheart purchase of the Texas Commerce Bank Tower for $200 million during the mid-1980s Texas oil-business crash. Bath’s partner Bill White said
Mahfouz’s purchase greatly benefited the fortunes of President Bush 41’s confidant and Secretary of State James Baker, Baker & Botts law firm, and Baker’s family -- founders and principal holders of Texas Commerce stock."http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0208/S00148.htmFor those who may not have been following the story, Mahfouz was a principal shareholder of BCCI in the 80's and is Osama bin Laden's brother-in-law and major financial supporter. James Bath is an old Bush pal, the one he skipped out on his National Guard physical with. The Saudi/Texas/Bush ties are deep and complex and long-established.